Our nation’s electorate voted to make America great again. Unfortunately, as things stand for Second Amendment rights, it’s looking like more of the same.
Just recently, a Broward County judge issued what is believed to be Florida’s first temporary removal of firearm rights under the state’s new gun control law. According to the Sun Sentinel, “Four firearms and 267 rounds of ammunition were ordered removed from a 56-year-old Lighthouse Point man who experts determined was a potential risk to himself or others.”
Under the new Florida gun control laws, which are sometimes referred to as “risk protection” or “red flag” legislation, law enforcement have the right to temporarily restrict firearm rights and access if a person is deemed to be a risk to one self or others. Furthermore, the state can deny access to firearm rights for multiple years if a police agency can present “clear and convincing” evidence that the person is especially threatening to public safety.
Interestingly, the seized firearms were: a Ruger LCP .380 pistol, an M2 Mauser .45 pistol, a Charter Arms .357 mag snub nose revolver and a Mossberg 500 12-gauge shotgun. All of these guns are designed for home defense, with none of them being a particularly exotic or ‘high-caliber” firearm.
Which then leads to the question: what was the evidence leading to this man’s denial of firearm rights? Allegedly, the man had a history of psychiatric problems, but most significantly, no arrest records in the state of Florida.
However, law enforcement presented evidence that he was obsessed with conspiracy theories, including those involving shape-shifters and various strange beliefs about former President Obama. Essentially, society, law enforcement, and the mainstream media is attempting to portray conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones and his millions of listeners in a negative – and threatening – light.
The fact that Florida gun control laws are so capricious – this man has not committed a crime! – and overreaching should send a chill down every American’s spine. Agencies working outside the boundaries of the Fourth Amendment (protections against unreasonable search and seizures) are violating the Second Amendment.
While any state is free to issue their own specific gun control mandates, we have to remember that state laws cannot be written to override federal law. In this particular case, a “determination” has been made to violate a man’s Second Amendment rights. What then is to stop other jurisdictions from writing their own gun control laws to take away guaranteed freedoms?
This issue also highlights the importance of American gun owners to support each other – not to insult and disparate those who live in liberal, anti-gun states. Because if this crap can happen in gun-friendly Florida, you can bet restrictive gun control is coming to a neighborhood near you!